This technically demanding project was one of several marketing models we have made recently for national house builder Taylor Wimpey. It was a particularly difficult project because it comprised over 150 units on a steeply sloping site. Many of the houses were split level properties and each plot required accurate modelling of retaining walls, complex access steps, and carefully designed embankments in the gardens. Even though 1:250 is a fairly small scale, if you click on the first image to enlarge it you’ll see the high level of detail we have been able to achieve. The second image shows the model on site in their marketing suite.

When space in a sales office is limited, 1:150 is a useful scale option because it is small enough to keep the model compact but large enough to show plenty of detail, which helps bring the model to life. This model was only 450mm square but if you look closely at the enlarged images you’ll see we’ve actually been able to show the wooden handrails on the balcony balustrades. This type of detail invites the viewer to inspect the model up close and allows them to visualize themselves enjoying the sea view from what could be their apartment balcony. All of which builds confidence and can help secure early sales, even when the site outside is little more than a hole in the ground.

Over the years we’ve produced many of these white styled models because they’re ideal for presenting a clear overview of large spread out sites, such as this proposed school development. The monochromatic styling keeps the costs down and the small scale keeps the model base to a compact, portable size – approx 800mm x 700mm in this case. Despite the small scale, we are able to show a high level of detail on the buildings including clear acrylic for windows. This model is going to be used for presentation to the planning authorities and for a public consultation exercise. To see another example of this type of model, see “Cricket Ground Development – Jan 2012” blog.

This project was actually completed in November last year but we refrained from featuring it in these pages until it had gone in front of the planners for an important presentation. The purpose of the model was to illustrate the comparative massing of the proposed new build apartments and to show how the proposal enhanced the existing cricket ground by creating a sense of enclosure around it. The thing that is hard to appreciate with this small scale model is just how small the buildings are – the apartment buildings are actually no more than 25mm tall! If you click on the images to enlarge them you’ll see how much detail we have managed to show in what is essentially a simplified massing model.

When we quoted for this project we offered the client the option of adding lights within and around the building because we felt that illumination would really help bring this model to life. The client was happy to go for it and, as you can see from the pictures, it does give the model an extra dimension which helps sell the scheme as a vibrant, contemporary design. In particular, the internal illumination highlighting the 4 car “garage/car gallery” with glass doors was an important feature. At 1:100 scale, we were able to show plenty of detail and the model was only 450mm wide, making it easily transportable. 1:100 is an ideal scale for a model of an individual building such as this.